Industry

Italian animation powerhouse Rainbow Group, renowned for creations like "Winx Club" and "Mermaid Magic," has announced a strategic partnership with TEC Movie, an independent investment vehicle formed by members of The Equity Club (TEC). This collaboration introduces TEC Movie as a significant minority stakeholder through an investment of approximately €90 million.

The Equity Club, promoted by Roberto Ferraresi and Filippo Penatti, operates on behalf of a group of Mediobanca's ultra-high net worth clients. This investment is aimed at supporting Rainbow's growth trajectory, enabling the company to undertake substantial investments in the coming years. These initiatives will focus on enhancing Rainbow's existing intellectual property portfolio and developing or acquiring new productions with international appeal.

Iginio Straffi, founder and CEO of Rainbow Group said: "We are thrilled to welcome The Equity Club as a strategic partner to support our next stage of growth. This operation will allow us to make significant investments, develop new productions, and continue to bring Italian talent and creativity to the world."

The collaboration is expected to strengthen Rainbow's position as a leading Italian producer of audiovisual and animation content, a sector with substantial growth potential globally. The company plans to explore strategic mergers and acquisitions involving major IPs and companies in Italy and worldwide that share synergies with the group.

Founded in 1995 by Iginio Straffi, Rainbow has established itself as a key player in the international entertainment landscape, exporting Italian creativity, talent, and innovation to over 150 countries. The company's portfolio includes globally successful IPs such as "Winx Club" and "Mermaid Magic," as well as live-action films like "Il Fabbricante di Lacrime" and "Il mio nome è Vendetta."

In recent years, Rainbow has pursued a strategy of targeted acquisitions to expand its content offerings and reinforce its position as an integrated player in the entertainment industry. Notably, the company acquired Colorado Film, a prominent producer of live-action content, and Bardel Entertainment, a Canadian animation studio with three decades of experience in animation services.